Auto Suggestions are available once you type at least 3 letters. Use up arrow (for mozilla firefox browser alt+up arrow) and down arrow (for mozilla firefox browser alt+down arrow) to review and enter to select.

Temporarily Out of Stock Online

Overview

Deification in Eastern Orthodox Theology: An Evaluation and Critique of the Theology of Dumitru Staniloae by Emil Bartos

In recent years, Eastern Orthodox thought has had an increasing influence on key aspects of contemporary Western Christian thought, particularly as regards the doctrine of the Trinity and mystical spirituality. However, the foundations and fundamental presuppositions of Eastern Christianity's theological system have remained largely unstudied  and thus unknown  in the West.

In this important study, Emil Bartos examines the doctrine of deification which provides the conceptual basis for the way Staniloae and other Orthodox theologians understand the major doctrines of the Christian faith. The idea that "God became man that man might become God" sounds almost heretical to many Western ears, yet this affirmation is repeated countless times in the writings of the Eastern Fathers.

Beginning with the apophaticism that lies at the heart of Eastern theology, Bartos examines each of the key doctrines of anthropology, christology, soteriology and ecclesiology as they relate to deification in Staniloae's thought. Bartos' study represents not merely a contribution to contemporary dialogue between Eastern and Western theologians, but also a much needed introduction to an aspect of Christian thought down the centuries that is largely neglected in the Christian West.

Product Details

About the Author

Emil Bartos is Dean of Theology at the Emanuel Bible Institute in Oradea, Romania, where he teaches systematic and comparative theology and the history of dogma. His doctoral research was carried out under the supervision of Orthodox bishop Kallistos Ware and the Catholic theologian Oliver Davies.

Table of Contents

Foreword xiAcknowledgments xiIntroduction 1Staniloae and his work 1The concept of deification in Orthodox theology 7Purpose and method 10The Epistemological Basis of Deification: The Apophatic Way of Knowledge 20Introduction 20General background 22Staniloae and the synthesis apophatic-cataphatic 25Apophaticism of negative and positive knowledge 27Apophaticism at the end of pure prayer 29Apophaticism of the vision of divine light 31Summary 33A comparative appraisal of the apophaticism of Staniloae and Lossky 34The radical apophatic way. Vladimir Lossky 34Lossky and the Greek Fathers 36A review of Lossky's apophaticism 37The question of the vision of God 38Staniloae's critique of Lossky 40Patristic influence in Staniloae 41Conclusions 43The Epistemological Basis of Deification:Essence and Energies 57General background 57Staniloae and the divine uncreated energies 57The trinitarianbasis of the uncreated energies 58The dynamic personalism of the uncreated energies 60The antinomic character of the uncreated energies 61Summary 63Patristic influence in Staniloae 65The distinction essence-energies before Gregory Palamas 65The decisive influence of Gregory Palamas 66Intradivine distinction 66Theology of light 67Summary 69Critical evaluation 70The charge of innovation 70The charge of impersonalism 72Revelation and theosis 74General conclusions 76Evaluation 76Assessment 79The Anthropological Aspect of Deification 95Introduction 95The relationship between God and world 96Deification and the act of creation 96Deification as the reason and purpose of creation 97Creation ex nihilo 100Creation as a free and triune act 102Summary 103The dynamism of creation: theosis and kinesis 104Time 105Space 108Power 110Summary 111Evaluation 113The relationship between world and man 116The world as a gift 116The interdependence and responsibility of man and nature 117Man as mediator 119The rationalities of the world 120Evaluation 122The relationship between man and God 125The unity of man 126Soul and body 127Soul and mind 129Summary 130Imago Dei and theosis 131The ontological and personalist character of the image 131The communitarian character of the image 134The dynamic character of the image: image and likeness 136The imperishable character of the image 137Evaluation: person and nature 140General conclusions 144The Christological Aspect of Deification: The Person of Christ 162Introduction 162Deification and incarnation 163Communion with the Logos and transcendental Christology 164Deification and the hypostatic union 168The enhypostasized human nature in the pre-existent hypostasis of the Word 169The complete actualisation of the human nature in Christ 170The maximal realisation of the union of God and man in Christ 171Summary 174Consequences of the hypostatic union 175The communication of the properties 175Kenosis 176Patristic influence 178Leontius of Byzantium and enhypostasia 180Maximus the Confessor and perichoresis 182Cyril of Alexandria and the soul/body analogy 183Evaluation 185General conclusions 187The Christological Aspect of Deification: The Work of Christ 203Introduction 203Background and premises in Staniloae's soteriology 204The plan of salvation 205The link between the Person of Jesus Christ and His salvific ministry 207Christ's Tridimensional Ministry: The Saviour as Prophet, Priest, and King 209Christ as prophet (salvation as truth) 209Christ as priest (salvation as communion with God) 211The sacrificial aspect of redemption 211The ontological aspect of redemption 212The recapitulative aspect of redemption 218Christ as king (salvation as transfiguration) 219Summary 223General conclusions 225Evaluation 225The incarnational view of redemption 225Redemption as ontological relations 226Redemption as internal atonement 228The idea of penetration 229The progressive nature of redemption 231The question of the nature of sin 232The role of Christ's death and resurrection 233Assessment 234The Pneumato-Ecclesiological Aspect of Deification: Deification in the Church 252Introduction 252The communitarian character of the Church. Trinitarian basis 253The Trinity as a model for the Church 254The Trinity as the principle of life of the Church 256Summary 257Deification and pneumatological Christology 258The transparency of the Spirit in revelation and in the Church 258Christ and the Spirit 260Summary 263The theandric constitution of the Church 264The Church founded by Christ's incarnation 265The Church stamped by Christ's sacrifice 266The Church pneumatized by the Spirit of the risen Christ 267Summary 269General conclusions 270The Pneumato-Ecclesiological Aspect of Deification: Deification by Grace 282Introduction 282Deification by grace and its personal appropriation 283The work of grace and the state of grace 283The work of grace and uncreated energies 283The work of grace and the gifts 285The state of grace 286Freedom and grace 287Summary 289Deification and the stages of justification 290The stage of preparation 293The stage of regeneration 293The stage of progression 295Summary 297The role of faith and good works 298The creational composition of the holy mysteries 299General conclusions 302Ontological continuity and pneumatological Christology 303Communion and theandrism 306The dynamism of grace 308Nature and grace 311The question of justification and sanctification 315Conclusions 329Summary 329Final assessment 333List of abbreviations 339Bibliography 341Index 367

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

'Emil Bartos has provided a fine and thorough study of the theology of Staniloae, the Romanian scholar-priest, and so fills a gap for the English readership. The concept of deification, too easily misunderstood in the West, gains sympathetic exposition in this authoritative guide.' Timothy Bradshaw, Senior Tutor, Regent's Park College, Oxford

'This is a book which deserves to be widely read and pondered throughout the English speaking world. It deals with one of the most important themes in Orthodox theology and shows what substantial and constructive contributions towards the work of Christian understanding and unity are coming from the Balkan countries.' A.M. Allchin, Bangor University, North Wales

'This is a splendid and thorough introduction to the work of a leading Orthodox theologian, and it is long overdue.' Oliver Davies, University of Wales

"This book deals with a major topic of importance  Staniloae is the greatest Romanian theologian of the twentieth century’" Kallistos Ware, from the Foreword